Bills options in the 2009 draft defensive end

by Steve

Well, now we have two first round pick so we'll really have to start ramping up our draft coverage. The Bills theoretically created a gaping hole with the terrible trade of Peters yesterday, but did they really? I cannot fathom any type of logic that the Bills thought, hey lets trade Peters and use the first round pick we get to draft another LT. More likely and hopefully they thought, "alright we have Peters on the roster, he's a malcontent who can be a distraction and wants $10 mil a year. We also have Demetrius Bell, Langston Walker, and Kirk Chambers already on the roster, they're all tackles and under contract for MUCH cheaper. Lets throw one of them in at RT and try Walker at LT."

Basically the Bills aren't goin LT in the first round. They're goin OLB, TE, or DE. And at eleven there will be a plethora of talent available the only question is which DE to take and will they be available @28?

Brian Orakpo
He's a little small at 6'3 263 but people, especially Cleveland, appear to be drooling all over this dude. He probably won't be there at eleven but who knows. He had 11 sacks last year and looks to be the real deal.

Aaron Maybin 6'4 249
Possible one year wonder, considering he was playing mostly special teams in his only other year at Penn State as a red shirt sophomore. His stock is rising after having a good pro day. It could be another dooms day scenario where the 49ers again swoop in and take a defensive stall wort the Bills may have been targeting. Scouts inc has him as their #1 DE in the draft. I'd say a lot of that has to do with his 'upside' because he isn't yet 21 and appears to get bigger faster and stronger by the day.

Robert Ayers 6'3 272
Talk about a guy sky rocketing up boards. Dude was a non entity for much of his career at Tennessee other than getting arrested and pleading out to assault. True it was like 4 years ago when he was 18 but it is still there. He would be a terrible selection at 11 but a win @ 28. He tore it up at the senior bowl but 9 total sacks in four years in college, how good could this guy really be? The Bills need a guy that gets the QB and causes havoc. Maybe he wasn't used correctly in college who knows but he is definitely not worth eleventh overall.

Tyson Jackson 6'4 296

Big guy probably more suited for a 3-4 defense. Doubt the Bills are looking at him.

Everette Brown
Tiny at 6'1 256. He put up huge numbers in his third year at FSU. He could be the guy at eleven but I wouldn't love it. It is tough to picture two d-ends going in the top ten but if that happens we'll have to rely on Modrak picking between Ayers and Brown @ eleven if they do go defensive end. He's quick and has a high motor, all things I hate in any player. High motor means you suck. He is durable though.

Sleeper pick
Michael Johnson (hopefully at 28 NOT 11)
Dude is huge at 6'6 266. The knock on this guy is his work ethic which is a major red flag but he is a play maker. I'd think sitting down with him and getting a thorough interview should be enough to see if this guy wants to be a professional football player or not. Unfortunately we don't have that access.